


Isn't It Obvious?

by shatteringgalaxies



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-07
Packaged: 2018-03-21 15:45:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3697889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shatteringgalaxies/pseuds/shatteringgalaxies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So you meet a boy in school.  Eren Yeagar. Green eyes. Brown hair. Big goofy adorable smile. You become friends. Everything's fabulous. But what if you were to fall for this guy? And maybe you didn't know about him as much as you thought you did?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The New Boy

Some things you just didn't get. How this universe came to be. Why everyone goes out shopping for a gazillion more things the day after Thanksgiving. Why you don't get recess after elementary school ends and you move into middle school. How the internet was created.

And why that boy was staring at you.

He had vivid teal eyes and tousled brown hair, messy in that purposeful sort of way. A small smile appeared on his face as you turned to look his way. Small waves were exchanged, and then the boy wasn't the only of the two of you who was grinning. You didn't know his name, but already he seemed like someone you could be friends with.

Ms. Ral stood at the front of the classroom, clipboard in hand. She proceeded to call out names for attendance, the students to raise their hands once they heard theirs.

"Armin Arlert?"

The blond boy on the other side of you raised his hand, a quiet "Here," escaping his lips.

A few other names were called, until finally, Ms. Ral arrived to yours.

"(F/N) (L/N)?"

You raised your hand and smiled at your petite teacher, greeting her with a friendly "Hello!"

"Eren Yeager?"

"Present, ma'am," a resonant voice spoke to your left. Eren. So that's what his name was.

" _Eren_ ," you said, wanting to test it out. He turned to you expectantly, waiting for you to say something. You smiled as you realized, and waved him off. "Nothing," you said, "I was just seeing what it sounded like."

The corners of his mouth lifted up. "Oh? Okay then," He paused for a few seconds, " _(F/N)_."

"Huh?"

"Nothin'. _I was just seeing what it sounded like_."

You giggled and poked him in the side, causing a heated battle of jabbing and parrying once he returned the playful gesture.

"Miss (L/N), Mr. Jaeger, please stop with your shenanigans, you are disturbing my lesson, that isn't very nice," Ms. Ral scolded gently, "See me after class."

You glanced at Eren, who had a smug smile on face, and frowned. You had never been admonished by a teacher before (except that one time in first grade when you were asked to draw your favorite animal and drew Jean with a glorious flowing mane and a saddle on his back) much less asked to stay after class for it.

Sighing, you ignored the green-eyed boy who was attempting to grasp your attention and flipped open your sketchbook, pretending that you were taking notes on what your teacher was presenting and awaiting the dismissal bell.


	2. "Detention"

After class ended, you packed up your backpack and reluctantly approached Ms. Ral, who was waiting at her desk. Eren weaved his way between all the chairs and tables, winding up on your right. You were still ignoring him for getting you in trouble, even though you acknowledged the fact that you had started the commotion. He had tried to speak with you for several times now, but you kept up the I-don't-give-a-fuck facade, so he'd stopped and focused on his classwork instead, which honestly disappointed you for some reason.

"Eren, since you just moved here this summer and don't really know anyone here, I will excuse your behavior as an outlet for all that nervous energy you must have as the 'new kid'," Ms. Ral stated, "You on the other hand, (F/N), will have to stay here with me for an hour as punishment. I'm not sending you down to actual detention because you're generally a good girl and I don't want anything to tarnish your record, but consider it an exercise if you continue this behavior and I actually do decide to send you down there. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," you muttered as Eren gave you a solemn look and headed out the door with his backpack slung over one shoulder.

***

You walked down the hall with a manga in your hand. Since you had finished all your homework long before the "detention" hour was up, Ms. Ral had let you borrow a book from her personal library by her desk, which you ended up liking very much. It was called " _Shingeki no Kyojin_ ", and was about humanity's near-extinction due to giant flesh-eating beings called titans. It wasn't something you would expect to find on your soft-hearted teacher's bookshelf, but the plot was captivating and you had started to fall in love with all the characters. Especially an amber-eyed soldier named Eren. He actually even looked a bit like the Eren you knew in real life, just with different colored irises.

As you went out the main entrance of your high school, you felt a tap on your shoulder and turned to see the brunette male you were just thinking about.

"Eren?!" you squeaked, completely caught off guard, "What're you doing here?!"

He rolled his eyes and, with a little smile, proclaimed, "I've been waiting here for an hour for your detention to be over. They said on the weather channel that there was going to be a downpour, and I didn't want you to be caught in it and have to walk home alone. Though obviously that's not going to occur; all this sun could evaporate half a pool in five minutes."

Flattered that he'd waited, you bit your lip, feeling your cheeks heat up and knowing they were stained a bright scarlet. You could tell Eren hadn't noticed though, so you kneeled on the ground and started fiddling with your backpack, keeping your face down and out of his sight, hoping to keep it that way until your countenance went back to its normal hue.

"Uh... what are you doing?" he questioned.

"Nothing... erm... my... um ... backpack straps are uneven and that's really bothering me." Your hands flew to the strips of durable fabric and started to adjust them.

He gave you a strange look, but otherwise seemed like he accepted your answer.

Awkwardly trying to keep the conversation going, you asked him why he was willing to stay there waiting for an hour.

The teenager looked thoughtful for a second, before selecting a reply, "Isn't it obvious?"

Confused, you looked up at him, "Uh... I don't think so..."

He smirked, "Well then, you'll have to figure it out."

"What's that supposed to-" you started, before Eren interrupted you.

"Wait," he remarked, "Weren't you ignoring me earlier today?"

"Well... you waited for me so I guess you're forgiven. Just don't get me in trouble again."

"That's why you were shunning me?! That's not fair! _You're_ the one who started it!" Eren objected. You knew he was right, but proceeded to act like it didn't matter.

"How many chinchilla shits do you think I give?" you retorted, "None."

"But-"

"No chinchilla shit."

"But-"

" _Nope_."

"But-"

"Eren, sweetheart, if you don't shut up I will not hesitate to shove a dirty shovel down your throat."

He clamped his mouth shut and, unbeknownst to you, blushed madly as he thought about how you had called him "sweetheart".

As the both of you strolled down the neighborhood, you thought about how you felt some connection to him, like you've been companions for centuries, even though you'd only known him for less than a day now. It was an instant friendship; you just knew you and Eren could be the best of friends. Or maybe even something more. No, you thought, Not going there. Not yet. Yet you couldn't help but smile and feel a fluttering sensation in your heart as you thought about him waiting for you, to make sure you wouldn't have to walk home alone, especially when it was supposed to be raining.

 _Isn't it obvious?_ you remembered. _No Eren, it's not._


	3. The French Project

An urgent set of noises from your alarm clock had awakened you the next morning, snapping you out of your dreams.

You groaned as you lazily hit the snooze button, then buried yourself in your blankets once more. A few minutes later you realized there was sunlight peaking through the blinds, initiating you to check the time.

 _Eight-fucking-fifty-two. School starts at nine._ You stared at the mechanism in a dream-like state, then realization slapped you in the face. _Crap! I'm late!_

You jumped out of bed in a whirlwind of blankets and pillows, making a mad dash to the bathroom, hurriedly trying to get ready before school started.

Five minutes later you were out the door, teeth clean but hair in a wild tangle of locks. As you determinedly strode down the sidewalk in your purple floral dress (you hadn't really paid attention to what you'd grabbed to wear, which you regretted severely due to the windy weather), you heard the faint sound of footsteps behind you.

Stopping, you wondered if you were just hearing an echo of your own footfalls, but no, the steps continued, getting closer and closer. You turned around to face whoever was behind you, and met a pair of green eyes.

"Eren?! What are you doing here?

He laughed, the joyful outburst momentarily quickening the beat of your heart, "Isn't that exactly what you said yesterday, when you found me waiting for you?"

You didn't answer, instead choosing to give him an angry glare. He sighed and scratched the back of his neck, "Okay, okay. Well, I wanted to walk you to school, so I was waiting outside your house. And before you accuse me of being a stalker, I walked you home yesterday, remember? So that's why I know where you live. Now come on, we're late."

He grabbed your hand and pulled you in the direction your school was in as you struggled to keep your face its natural shade. _He's holding my hand... and... why do I feel like this? I've only known him for a day... and... Urgh, (F/N) (L/N), get your shit together!_

***

You were sitting at your desk in your first period class, after being scolded by Mr. Ackerman for arriving so late. There were a few snickers from some assholes as you stepped in the room, but otherwise no one made a big deal out of your tardiness.

As your teacher rambled on about French culture and modern activities, you noticed Mikasa sliding a folded sheet of paper towards your desk. You gave her a questioning glance, but her expression was as passive as ever.

Taking the note and carefully opening it, attempting not to make any noise, you looked it over. _Was my brother with you when you made it here?_ , it read, _He left early because he wanted to walk you to school, I just want to make sure he's safe._

 _So Mikasa and Eren are... siblings? Then why haven't I met him before? I've known her since we were eleven._ Deciding to ask her about it later, you turned to her and gave a quick nod, confirming that Eren was in no mortal danger. To show that she understood you, Mikasa let a small smile shine through, though it was gone as quickly as it came as Jean leaned over and whispered a pathetic attempt of a pickup line in her ear. That little moron.

"Okay, brats," Mr. Ackerman stated, "We're going to start a group project today. You'll be working in pairs to research what an average teenager in France would do on a regular day. The assignment is forty points and due in a week as a presentation which you will share with the class. I have not picked your partners," multiple students gave their friends acknowledging looks, "However, if you shit-heads aren't getting anything done, I will not hesitate to reconsider that. You may begin."

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor fleetingly reigned the room as several teenagers got up to find the peer they had implicitly agreed to do the project with. You turned to Mikasa, but she was conversing with Armin. Disappointed, you scanned the room for someone without a partner. Sasha and Connie were in the the corner discussing how to incorporate potatoes into their presentation... Reiner and Bertholdt had already started planning what materials they needed... Everyone seemed to have a partner but... _Jean_. He would usually pair up with Marco, but the boy had moved somewhere out-of-state over the summer. You reluctantly trudged over to the isolated male, and proposed that you work together.

He shrugged and concurred, "Sure, why not."

For the rest of class, the both of you researched France and looked back at your notes, if you found anything even remotely useful, you would awkwardly chat but then return to your fact-finding. Once the bell rang, signifying the transition into second period, you agreed to meet him at the school library at five, and rushed to get packed and not be late to your next class, too.

***

The last bell rang, releasing the school full of students to do almost whatever they pleased. You shoved all your things in your backpack and vacated the classroom, Eren on your heels like a puppy after their master, "(F/N)! Where are you going?"

"I have to go see Jean," you replied, slowing down so he could catch up to you.

"Why do you want to go see _that_ horseface?"

Snorting at his comment, you remarked that it was for a French assignment.

"Did Mr. Ackerman pick your partners for you?"

"No."

"Then why did you choose to work with _him_?! You could've paired up with Sasha or Armin, or even my sister, Mikasa! What do you see in that boy?!" he was practically yelling at this point, eyes burning with fury.

"Well, Sasha paired up with Connie, and Mikasa with Armin; Jean was the only one left without a partner. Why does it matter so much to you anyway?"

"Because he's a jerk! A fake! A flirt! I don't want you to get hurt."

You sighed and faced the angry boy, hoping to console him somehow, "Eren, you just moved here, you don't know that much about him. He can be an ass sometimes, but he's a genuinely good person, okay? Just a tad bit too desperate for a date, which is why he's always throwing really bad pick-up lines at your sister and every other pretty girl he meets."

"You're a pretty girl."

Your cheeks heated up as your heartbeat sped up significantly.

"W-well," you stuttered, "Y-you're really pretty, too!"

There was a seemingly awkward silence as you mentally cursed yourself.

"Why, thank you," he finally responded, "I'm glad to know you think so."

Then you reached the library, and throwing you one quick, beautiful smile, Eren left.


	4. Boys Can Be Strange

"Jean!" you yelled, waving your arms wildly, "Jean, over here!"

A librarian gave you a murderous look so you quieted instantly, but luckily, the male you were calling out to had heard you the first time and was making his way over.

"Hey, (F/N), you look gorgeous today," he commented, smiling flirtatiously.

"Oh, um, thank you!" you grinned. The compliment made you happy, but for some reason it just didn't feel the same as when Eren called you pretty. _It might be because I... I have a crush on- No! Stop! Focus on the project!_

"So, Jean, did you manage to do any more research after first period?" you asked, pulling out your French binder and opening it to where you had made notes for your presentation.

"Well, no," he replied, "But first, are you sure you're not a tower?"

"What?"

"... _Because Eiffel for you_."

You groaned, pinching the bridge of your nose. This is going to be a long two hours.

About fifteen minutes later, your phone beeped repeatedly; someone was barraging it with texts. Taking out the device, you entered your password and opened your messaging app. _Six messages from Eren Jaeger._ You remembered you gave him your number the other day when he walked you home, then smiled and swept through what he sent you.

_EREN: hey, just thought i'd save you from that john guy._

_EREN: how's ur project going?_

_EREN: has he flirted with you yet?_

_EREN: probably has. that horseface._

_EREN: if he's flirted with you i'll gladly wring his neck_

_EREN: WAIT EARLIER U SAID HE FLIRTS WITH MIKASA RIGHT OMFG THAT LIL SHIT I'LL KNOCK HIS FUCKING EQUESTRIAN FACE IN THAT'S MY SISTER OMFG_

You burst out in a fit of laughter as Jean looked at you questioningly. Waving him off, you continued laughing but managed to stop yourself in order to reply to the pissed-off teenager.

_(F/N): calm down, mikasa knows how to kill a person in seventeen different ways. and u do know that his name is spelled jean rite?_

_EREN: wtf really_

_EREN: well 2 bad i'm spelling it as john. or horseface. horseface works better don't you think?_

_(F/N): eren shut up i have to work on this project_

_EREN: fine. i'll see u after school then, ur little project thing finishes in like two hours rite? well ttyl and stuff_

_Wait... is he walking me home again?_ You felt a fluttering feeling in your heart as a grin spread across your face. Suddenly you were even more eager to be done with the project and walk home, but you begrudgingly went back to reading your textbook.

***

Two hours later, you stood at the front of the school, scanning the grounds for Eren. Jean had decided to stay with you until you found the brunette, with a hidden motive to "win you over".

"Hey, (F/N)," he started, "Do you have a license?"

"No, I have my permit but I haven't gotten my license yet," you answered, then realized he was starting another attempt at flirting.

"... _Because you're driving me crazy_!"

You made a sour face and searched for Eren frantically, desperate to get away from the two-tone haired boy you were with. _Maybe by "I'll see you after school" he meant meeting me at my house, and not walking me home. Or maybe he just left because he couldn't find me and assumed that I left?_

Finally, you spotted him. He was sitting on a bench by a patch of alabaster tulips, legs crossed and looking up at the clouds.

You jogged towards the male, Jean trailing after you.

"Eren!" you exclaimed, "Hey! I thought you might've left or something!"

"Nope, I said I would walk you home, right?" he responded.

"Yeah, it was worded confusingly, but you did."

"Well, let's go then," he said, then turning to Jean he spat, "And you can leave, _horseface_."

The brown-eyed boy bristled, then with daunting ferocity he hissed, "Well, neigh neigh, motherfucker. You seriously think you have a chance against me, don't you?"

_A chance for what? What does-_

But something interrupted your thoughts; Eren had lost it.

He swung his fist at Jean, coming in contact with his jaw, a yelp escaping but ghosting away just as fast as he retaliated with quick jab to Eren's torso. You watched the two of them, mouth twisting into a grimace with each grunt or hollar of pain.

"Guys stop it!" you shrieked, "Why the hell are you fighting! Stop!"

They looked at you, then decided to cease the combat and whispered brief apologies.

"I know you guys hate each other's guts, and insult each other on a daily basis, but physical fighting is going too far!" you scolded them, "Why do you even despise each other this much? What happened in two effin' days that's gotten you to this level of disrespect?"

They glanced at each other, then mumbled something you couldn't understand.

"What did you say?"

Jean spoke up after Eren elbowed him to talk, "Well, we've actually known each other from before Eren moved back here. We used to be best friends, but then... something happened, and now we kind of hate each other."

"Moved... back? Does that mean you used to live here, Eren?" you asked him.

"Well, I'll explain on the way back to your house, I'd rather not talk about it here," he said, briefly glancing at Jean.

"Um... okay," you agreed, then waved the other male good-bye and pulled Eren along the path leading home,"But you've got to tell me _everything_."


	5. Once Upon a Time

Eren shuffled along quietly next to you, wondering how to phrase his words. You waited patiently before realizing the walk home wouldn't be enough time for him to explain everything.

"Do you want to stop for some coffee?" you suggested, stopping and looking up at him, "We'll have more time."

He nodded, giving you a small smile, "Sounds like a plan."

Together you entered the little diner across the street, the words " _Pâtisseries et Gâteaux_ " embellishing the front on a mint-green banner. A bell chimed, notifying the staff of your presence. You claimed a little booth by a window in the back, and threw your backpack under the table. Eren slid into the seat across from you, doing the same with his. A lithe waitress made her way over to you, a ruffly cream-colored apron tied around her waist and a small legal pad in her hand.

"Hello!" she welcomed, "I'm Krista! I'll be your waitress today."

"I'm (F/N), and this is Eren, nice to meet you!" you replied, trying to be friendly, though you were eager for her to get going so that the male you were with could answer all the questions you had. The blonde giggled, then set two pamphlets on the table, "I'll be back in five minutes to take your orders!". She promptly spun on her heel and left, stepping through an opening by the front counters that was labeled "Staff Only".

You opened one of the menus, holding it so that you could see Eren over the top, "Now will you explain?"

He didn't make eye contact, instead continuing to inspect the different coffee options, "Just wait until we after we order, I'm still not sure where exactly to start."

"...Alright."

Soon, five minutes were up and Historia returned, a cheerful grin on her face, "Are you ready?"

"I'll have gingerbread iced coffee and a chocolate-chip cookie," Eren stated.

She scribbled his words down on her legal pad, then turned to you.

You flipped through the menu one last time, then ordered a caramel frappuccino and a croissant. The girl wrote down your selections and remarked that those were "Absolutely wonderful choices!" before rushing off once more, her ponytail bouncing.

"Well?" you said to Eren, watching him expectantly, "We placed our orders."

"Then I guess I'll have to start," he sighed, "And I still don't know how to explain everything, okay? So bear with me."

"It's fine," you responded, "Just try your best."

"Well I... My mom... um... uh... I'm sorry," he frowned and sent you an apologetic look.

"Why don't you start off with basic information, then just let the words flow out?" you advised gently, acknowledging his struggle.

He took a deep breath, and started again, "My parents names were Carla and Grisha Jaeger. My mom was a housewife and my dad was a doctor. I don't have any siblings... well, biologically I don't..." 

He started to pick at the lining on the inside of his jacket as he spoke.

"When I was little, my dad once took me with him to the home of a patient of his, during the winter. They had a kid that he thought I could be friends with, since I didn't have any due to my temper, which is why he dragged me along. My mom had packed us a picnic basket full of treats to bring them, a 'Get-Well-Soon' gift of sorts. After we reached our destination, I was going to knock on the door when suddenly I heard screaming coming from inside, someone was in trouble. My dad had left me there alone since he forgot to bring some of the medicine, so I grabbed a dinner knife from the basket and somehow managed to kick down the door. Running inside, I found two men covered in blood cornering a little girl. On impulse, I lunged forward and stabbed him. He collapsed to the ground with a choking sound, the other man looking at me, surprised. Suddenly, the girl pulled out a blade of her own and slit his throat while he was distracted. Then she threw it to the side, clasped her hands, and looked at the ground. I was bewildered and slightly confused before I realized it was a sign that she wouldn't hurt me. And so, sensing no immediate threat, I finally noticed the other bodies lying on the floor. A man and a woman, two corpses that I later learned were Mikasa's parents."

"M- _Mikasa_?" you stuttered. You had pressed yourself into the cushioning of your seat, wary of Eren now that you knew he had killed a man. Suddenly being in the back of the shop didn't seem very appealing.

"Yeah," he said, but then noticed your frightened state, "(F/N), we were just kids, and it was for self defense, I didn't know it would kill him! They were planning to murder Mikasa, anyway, and had already murdered both her parents!"

"B- _but they were people_!"

"So are you saying you would rather have them alive then Mikasa?!"

"N-no..."

"Exactly, it was either them, or her!"

"But you didn't know her! What if she was a crook, too?"

"She wasn't! I could tell. She looked like one of those innocent baby lambs..."

"Don't compare her to a lamb! She slit his throat!"

"It was for self-defense! Whose side are you on, ours or theirs?!"

"I'm sorry...," you whispered, "But I just... I don't know..." You didn't know what to think of him now that you knew of his past. _And Mikasa! She was my best friend for so long and yet I never knew all this about her..._

"Hey...," Eren said softly, "It's okay if you're confused about what to think of Mikasa and me, just please listen to the rest of my story, okay? I want you to hear all of it, now that you know at least this much."

It took you a moment to nod, signaling him to continue, you had wanted to know everything, and there was no way in hell you were going to walk out on him and wonder about this for the rest of your life. You had decided to overlook the fact that he'd murdered a man in his childhood, for the time being, and were willing to accept Eren's argument that it was for self defense. Besides, that night probably haunted his nightmares, and he seemed good at heart...

"Okay," you murmured, "I'll listen."

He gave you a small, appreciative smile, and went on with his narrative.

"I saw her deceased parents and wondered if there was anyone else who could take care of her. I asked her if she had any siblings, and she shook her head. She was alone, orphaned and poor. My mom had told me about the misfortune some folks received, and instructed me to help them whenever I could. They were people, after all, and were just as important as anyone else.

"So, I took off my scarf and wrapped it around Mikasa, then announced that my family and I would take care of her. My father came in a bit later, and was completely shocked at the scene. After we explained everything and the whole thing blew over and the trial announced we were exercising our right of self-defense, my parents adopted Mikasa and that's why she's my sister, even though we don't look much alike."

Suddenly Krista reappeared with a tray of food and drinks. "Hello!" she greeted cheerfully, "I'm back with your orders!" Carefully, she set down the coffee and plates of food. Her grin dropped when she noticed the both of you watching her warily, "Oh, sorry, did I interrupt something?" You continued to stare at her. "I'll leave you two alone...," she chirped nervously as she stepped away.

As Krista left, Eren wrapped his fingers around his drink and took a small sip.

"I met Armin soon after that, he was being bullied by some jerks that thought it was funny that he loved books and stuff," he went on, "Mikasa and I scared them off, and after that we started hanging out. It was one of those friendships that just happened, you know? But I'm glad it did, he's now my best friend. Anyway, when I was around ten years old, my dad had to go on a business trip to investigate a virus that had made an appearance, it was all confidential, and he wouldn't tell me much about it. So, my mother, Mikasa, and I were left alone for a while, but it hadn't been very long before something happened. One night, when Mikasa was taking a nap after beating up the idiots who were bullying Armin again, my mom and I were watching TV together. She got up to go check on dinner, and I was excited because she left the remote behind, which meant I could change the channel from that boring cooking show to some cartoons... I never knew how much I would miss her hogging the television all to herself..."

"Eren?" you whispered. He had his hands clenched in fists, his teal orbs watery and full of grief and anger.

"They killed her," his voice shook as he spoke, "They killed her! They killed my mom!"

You started to notice others in the cafe glancing at your booth curiously as Eren raged on with his emotions.

"Eren...," you warned, "People are looking...," You regretted saying that as he crossed his arms on the table and rested his head on them, his face hidden from you. But you still knew he was crying.

"Hey...," you whispered as you slid into the seat next to him, wrapping your arms around his form and holding him in his delicate state, "It's okay...You don't have to go on if you don't want to..."

"No," he muttered, "I _have_ to tell someone. I've been ignoring it for so long... But if you rather wouldn't hear about it, that's fine. You were probably expecting some lighthearted recalling-of-events now, weren't you?" Eren shifted his head slightly so you could see his sympathetic expression.

"That's true, but I want you to tell me everything anyway. I came here to listen to your whole story, and I'm not leaving without knowing every little bit of it."

"You're gonna' be here for a while," he voiced, quickly wiping the dried tears on his cheeks after you let go of him and handed him the small pack of tissues you always kept in your backpack.

"I'm fine with that," you replied gently, "I'll be here for however long it takes."


	6. A Little More History

Eren took a few sips from his beverage, then slowly nibbled on his cookie. You waited for him to feel comfortable enough to continue with his story, consuming the food and drink you had ordered earlier yourself.

"She was killed by some robbers who snuck into the house. I guess they were looking for some jewelry or something; I never found out. In court they refused to say anything at all, which altogether just made me more curious about their intentions. But, I still don't know why they did all that; there's still so much that I'm confused about," he whispered, looking out the window at a child peacefully trailing their mother.

Eren paused, watching as the little boy tripped and fell.

"You'll find out someday, I know you will!" you reassured him, but his eyes were still on the small being outside, whose parent had continued walking, unaware that her child was far behind her. Suddenly, Eren jumped up and bounded out the door, leaving you alone in the booth.

"Eren!?" you called after him.

He was out of sight.

Gathering up your things, and Eren's backpack, you stepped outside, scanning the scene for a green-eyed boy.

You spotted him at the side of the shop, the little boy held on his hip, rushing to the child's mother.

You cracked a grin, warmed by how Eren had gotten the little kid back to their guardian. The woman had smiled warmly at him, then quickly gathered the child in her arms and kissed his forehead, after scolding him gently for not "holding my hand like I told you _sooo_ many times!"

Eren watched them, a melancholy smile settled on his countenance. Your cheerful expression was replaced by a soft sadness as realization sparked in your mind. _Oh, Eren._

***

"Here's your backpack," you chirped as you strode along next to Eren.

"Thank you," he muttered quickly, taking it from you, "I almost forgot about it."

You nodded in response, observing his face for any signs of grief, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine," he replied, "Anyway, I suppose I'll get on with the story."

You guessed that meant he would go on with it right then and there, but he didn't.

The both of you walked for a little while, cocooned in a comfortable silence. You tilted your head up and looked at the sky, watching the clouds enlarge and become a deeper, more prominent gray. _Hmm. It'll probably rain soon._

You turned your attention back to Eren, who was lazily trudging along a mulch path, headed for a lonely little playground situated between a few maple trees, autumn's paint sprinkled on the foliage.

He led you to an old wooden bench not far away, sitting precariously on the very edge, his bag still draped over his back.

"My dad never came back from from his trip. I'm not sure what happened to him, either," the brunette said, before you shifted to comfort him. He stopped you with a raised hand, "I'm fine. It happened a long time ago."

You bit your lip and slid back into your previous position on the bench, with your hands tucked in your lap.

"My father had a few good friends, so they took custody of Mikasa and me. One of the friends was a scientist named Hanji Zoë; they used to work with my father, but they weren't called on the business trip that he was asked to go on. Another friend was Erwin Smith, he's actually one of the history teachers at school," he voiced, "Mikasa was taken in by Hanji, and I was stuck with Erwin. We didn't want to get separated; we actually needed each other more than ever since our whole family was pretty much gone, but that's how it turned out.

"Hanji seemed to have quickly adapted to Mikasa being with them, even getting overexcited at times, but we could still tell that the new responsibility was taking its toll. Erwin was in the military at the time, so it was even harder for him to suddenly get custody of a kid and have to raise them properly, but he refused to send me to an orphanage, which I appreciated. I really didn't like the idea of some random stranger playing the role of my parent."

"Wait," you interrupted, "What about Hanji?"

He shrugged off his backpack and leaned back, into the vertical inclination of the bench, "Even though they're a really smart scientist, they don't have that much money to supply for a family; most of it goes into new equipment or books for their lab, not to mention that they strangely don't patent or publish their inventions or discoveries that often. My dad was a different story; even though he worked with Hanji at the same facility, he was more involved with medical sciences, and working to heal people. And if he did make any discoveries, he would rush to get it published and claim it as his."

"Oh," you responded, bringing your hand up to your chin.

Eren took a small breath and continued, "So because of Erwin's career, we ended up moving a lot, going from place to place. Eventually, Erwin decided he wanted to stop working for the army, saying that he always wanted to be a teacher. So, we moved back here."

"Oh, so that's why you and Jean already know each other," you exclaimed, "But... why is there some sort of rivalry between you?"

Suddenly Eren looked very uneasy, his mouth twisted into an awkward grimace. "Well," he croaked, "That's something that started a long, long time ago... for... reasons... which I'd rather not discuss."

"Oh, c'mon! Didn't you say earlier that you wanted to tell someone everything?"

"Yeah, well, I'm good now."

" _Erennnnnnnn_..."

He gave you a sour look, then stood up, stretching, "I'll tell you later, I think I've had enough delving-back-into-my-past for one day."

You pouted, but gave in, "Fine. But you have to tell me eventually. I'm really curious as to why you hate him so much."

" _A_ , he's a horseface. _B_ , he has no-"

"Okay, okay, I get it," you laughed, getting up and rocking back and forth on your feet, "Well, I guess I'll go home now."

"Do you want me to walk you?"

"Nah, I'm good; I live literally two blocks from here. You should hurry, though," you stated, "I think it's about to start raining."

Droplets of water started to fall, and a flash of lightning confirmed your assumption.

"Better start running," you giggled, waving Eren goodbye as you sprinted away.

He did the same thing, pulling his backpack over his head to keep at least part of him dry.

A clap of thunder echoed through the compound, chasing the fading sounds of feet pounding against the earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just in case you were wondering (a few people asked me about this), I decided to portray Hanji as agender, as in the manga they don't really discuss what their gender is. I'm not sure if they actually are agender, or if they are male or female and we just haven't been told, but I think that Hanji would best be depicted as agender. That explains why I was using "they", "their", etc. for Hanji. I apologize if I confused anyone with the wording, but I do believe that terms such as "they" and "their", traditionally used for plural subjects, can be used for singular subjects as well.  
> If you see any mistakes, like parent's names or something, please let me know! Even though I'm writing an AU fanfic, I still want some details to be accurate.  
> Thank you for reading, lovelies!


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